Here’s the latest miles, points, travel, and deals news:
Visa Mastercard Settlement
A settlement between Visa, Mastercard, and U.S. merchants could fundamentally change how you pay for purchases, giving businesses the power to charge different fees or even refuse certain credit cards based on their category.
The deal, which still needs court approval following a two-decade legal battle over interchange fees, would allow merchants to divide credit card acceptance into three distinct categories: commercial cards, premium consumer cards (like Visa Signature, Visa Infinite, Mastercard World, World Elite, and World Legend), and standard consumer cards.
You could soon see tiered pricing at checkout, where a basic credit card might incur a 2.5% surcharge while a rewards card costs you 3% extra on top of your purchase price.
Merchants will need to prominently display which card types they accept, choosing from options like debit-only, standard cards but not premium, or refusing commercial cards entirely.
The settlement also requires a 0.1 percentage-point reduction in interchange fees phased in over five years, with standard consumer credit rates capped at 1.25% throughout the agreement period.
Your rewards programs and perks should remain intact since the fee reductions aren’t significant enough to impact benefits, though merchants will have new incentives to steer you toward cheaper payment methods.
Amazon Prime $250 Bonus
Through December 8, Prime members can score an instant $250 Amazon Gift Card upon approval for the Prime Visa — perfect timing for holiday shopping without waiting for any bonuses to post.
You’ll earn 5% back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel, 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and local transit (including rideshare), and 1% back everywhere else, all with no annual fee and rewards available to redeem as soon as the next day.
Hilton’s New Diamond Reserve
Hilton just semi-confirmed it’s launching a new ultra-exclusive Diamond Reserve tier after U.S. Credit Card Guide uncovered hidden code on the chain’s website – and the hotel giant posted a cheeky Instagram teaser acknowledging the “exciting news” while staying officially mum on details.
Diamond Reserve will sit above current Diamond status and require 80 nights or 40 stays plus $18,000 in qualifying spend, earning you 22x points per dollar on eligible stays and a new milestone reward at 120 nights (either a Confirmable Upgrade Reward or 30,000 points).
Starting in 2026, Hilton plans to slash elite qualification requirements by roughly 30% across the board – meaning you’ll hit Silver at just 7 nights, Gold at 28 nights, and Diamond at 42 nights instead of the current 10, 40, and 60 nights respectively.
This overhaul tackles a major problem: Hilton Diamond status has become embarrassingly overcrowded since the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card grants automatic top-tier status just for holding the card, making Hilton the only major chain to hand out its highest status without requiring a single night stayed.
By adding a spend-heavy tier above Diamond, Hilton can finally give its truly loyal high-rollers the kind of exclusive perks and confirmed suite upgrades that Marriott Ambassador and Hyatt Globalist members already enjoy.
Marriott Dumps Sonder Immediately
Marriott terminated its licensing agreement with Sonder on November 9, 2025 — just months after adding roughly 9,000 apartment-style rooms to its portfolio under the Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy collection that launched in August 2024.
The termination was effective immediately due to Sonder’s default, with the company reportedly laying off employees and potentially heading toward liquidation.
Guests currently staying at Sonder properties with Marriott reservations received notice Sunday night that they had to vacate by Monday morning — yes, even those in the middle of multi-week apartment stays — while all future bookings through Marriott channels were immediately cancelled.
Marriott will contact affected guests who booked directly through marriott.com, the Marriott Bonvoy app, or its reservation centers, though if you booked through a third-party site, you’ll need to reach out to them instead.
Marriott’s 2026 Soft Landing
Marriott Bonvoy confirmed its soft landing policy for 2026, meaning you’ll only drop one elite tier if you don’t requalify for your current status level this year.
Members who hit their current status threshold will see it renewed through February 2027 in January, while those who fall short will receive the next tier down in early March 2026.
The policy applies across all five elite levels—Silver (10+ nights), Gold (25+), Platinum (50+), Titanium (75+), and Ambassador (100+ nights plus $23,000 spend)—giving you a buffer if life changes affected your travel patterns.
Dulles Mobile Lounge Crashes
A mobile lounge crashed into a building dock at Washington Dulles around 4:30 PM, injuring at least 18 passengers who were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
The incident involved one of the airport’s distinctive bus-like shuttle vehicles that have operated since 1962, and authorities are now investigating both mechanical and operational factors while Dulles continues a multi-year effort to modernize the aging fleet.
